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RAPID PROTOTYPING

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:31 am
by CK722EDU
I AM ASSUMING THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT FORUM FOR THE SUBJECT.
WILL IT BE POSSIBLE TO ADAPT PEN PLOTTERS TO IMPLEMENT A RAPID PROTOTYPING SYSTEM ?
RAPID PROTOTYPING DOESN'T REQUIRE VERY HIGH FORCES TO DRIVE THE NOZZLE AND PEN PLOTTERS USUALLY HAVE POWERFUL DRIVES TO MOVE THE PEN CARRIER AT RATHER HIGH SPEEDS.
BY CHANGING THE CLOCK FREQUENCIES MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONVERT THE TRANSLATION SPEEDS TO SOMETHING ADEQUATE FOR THE PROTOTYPING.
THE MECHANICAL CONVERSION SHOULDN'T BE TOO DIFFICULT, THE "X" MOTION CAN PROBABLY
BE USED AS IS AND THE "Y" AXIS, USUALLY THE PAPER TRANSPORT, SHOULDN'T BE TOO DIFFICULT TO ADAPT TO MOVE A STAGE.
I HAVE SEVERAL HP AND HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS PLOTTERS AND THE CONCEPT LOOKS INTERESTING.
PEN PLOTTERS CAN BE VERY ACCURATE AT HIGH SPEEDS, 0.1 % OF MOVE ON A HOUSTON THAT HAS A MAXIMUM PLOTTING SPEED OF 16 IN/SEC..
THE PEN UP AND DOWN COMMAND COULD BE USED FOR THE NOZZLE VALVE.